Introduction

“When the well is dry, we learn

the worth of water” - Ben Franklin,

from Poor Richard’s Almanac, 1733

Utah’s weather is prone to extremes—from

severe flooding to multiyear droughts. Five

major floods occurred during 1952, 1965, 1966,

1983, and 1984, and six multiyear droughts

occurred during 1896-1905, 1930-36, 1953-65,

1974-78 (U.S. Geological Survey, 1991), and

more recently during 1988-93 and 1999-2002.

The areal extent of floods generally is limited

in size from one to several watersheds, whereas

droughts generally affect most or all of the state.

Southern Utah, in particular the Virgin River

drainage basin, began experiencing drought

conditions during the winter of 1998-99. By

2000, drought conditions were evident

throughout all of Utah. The current drought

(1999-2002) is comparable in length and

magnitude to previous droughts; however, with

population growth and increased demand for

water in Utah, the general effect is more severe.

During 2002, the fourth straight year of

nearly statewide drought conditions, some areas

of Utah experienced record-low streamflows.

Several record-low streamflows occurred in

streams with records dating back to the 1900s.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) uses

streamflow data from eight long-term

streamflow-gaging stations for comparison of

hydrologic conditions in Utah (fig. 1). Three of

these gages registered new record-low annual

streamflows for water year 2002 (October 1,

2001, to September 30, 2002): Colorado River

near Cisco, San Juan River near Bluff, and

Virgin River at Virgin. At two other gages in

eastern Utah, Whiterocks River near Whiterocks

and Green River near Green River, 2002 was

the second driest year on record. Streamflow

in the Upper Colorado River Basin has been so

low that the water surface of Lake Powell is

predicted to be 80 feet below the fill level by

January 2003 (Bureau of Reclamation, 2002).

The water level of Lake Powell is currently

(2003) low enough near Hite Marina (at the

upstream end of the lake) that much of the

riverbed of the Colorado and Dirty Devil Rivers

is exposed, as are the deltaic sediments that have

been deposited since the lake began filling in

1963 (fig. 2).

The adjacent states of Colorado, Arizona,

and New Mexico also have been experiencing

extreme drought conditions and the negative

impacts that result. Record-sized forest fires

during the summer of 2002 in Arizona and

Colorado were directly related to the extremely

dry conditions.

Precipitation

Precipitation directly affects streamflow.

Under normal precipitation conditions, Utah

receives less precipitation than every other state

except Nevada. Average annual precipitation at

Salt Lake City is about 16.5 inches, and

precipitation statewide ranges from about 5

Drought Conditions in Utah During 1999-2002:

A Historical Perspective

USGS Fact Sheet 037-03

April 2003

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Figure 2. Lake Powell near Hite, Utah, showing exposed channel of the Colorado and Dirty Devil Rivers, which are normally flooded by

the lake, as well as the deltaic sediments that are deposited at the upper end of the lake; view to east in October 2002.

Blacks

Fork

Bear

River

Bear

Lake

River

Bear

Green

River

Cedar City

Logan

Salt

Lake

City

Provo

Ogden Jordan

River

Great

Salt

Lake

Utah

Lake

Colorado

Lake

Powell

River

Flaming

Gorge

Reservoir

114°

42°

109°

Green River

Evanston

Soda Springs

River

37°

EXPLANATION

IDAHO

Sevier

Lake

(Dry)

WYOMING

0

0

20

40

40

60 KILOMETERS

60 MILES

20

Introduction

“When the well is dry, we learn

the worth of water” - Ben Franklin,

from Poor Richard’s Almanac, 1733

Utah’s weather is prone to extremes—from

severe flooding to multiyear droughts. Five

major floods occurred during 1952, 1965, 1966,

1983, and 1984, and six multiyear droughts

occurred during 1896-1905, 1930-36, 1953-65,

1974-78 (U.S. Geological Survey, 1991), and

more recently during 1988-93 and 1999-2002.

The areal extent of floods generally is limited

in size from one to several watersheds, whereas

droughts generally affect most or all of the state.

Southern Utah, in particular the Virgin River

drainage basin, began experiencing drought

conditions during the winter of 1998-99. By

2000, drought conditions were evident

throughout all of Utah. The current drought

(1999-2002) is comparable in length and

magnitude to previous droughts; however, with

population growth and increased demand for

water in Utah, the general effect is more severe.

During 2002, the fourth straight year of

nearly statewide drought conditions, some areas

of Utah experienced record-low streamflows.

Several record-low streamflows occurred in

streams with records dating back to the 1900s.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) uses

streamflow data from eight long-term

streamflow-gaging stations for comparison of

hydrologic conditions in Utah (fig. 1). Three of

these gages registered new record-low annual

streamflows for water year 2002 (October 1,

2001, to September 30, 2002): Colorado River

near Cisco, San Juan River near Bluff, and

Virgin River at Virgin. At two other gages in

eastern Utah, Whiterocks River near Whiterocks

and Green River near Green River, 2002 was

the second driest year on record. Streamflow

in the Upper Colorado River Basin has been so

low that the water surface of Lake Powell is

predicted to be 80 feet below the fill level by

January 2003 (Bureau of Reclamation, 2002).

The water level of Lake Powell is currently

(2003) low enough near Hite Marina (at the

upstream end of the lake) that much of the

riverbed of the Colorado and Dirty Devil Rivers

is exposed, as are the deltaic sediments that have

been deposited since the lake began filling in

1963 (fig. 2).

The adjacent states of Colorado, Arizona,

and New Mexico also have been experiencing

extreme drought conditions and the negative

impacts that result. Record-sized forest fires

during the summer of 2002 in Arizona and

Colorado were directly related to the extremely

dry conditions.

Precipitation

Precipitation directly affects streamflow.

Under normal precipitation conditions, Utah

receives less precipitation than every other state

except Nevada. Average annual precipitation at

Salt Lake City is about 16.5 inches, and

precipitation statewide ranges from about 5

Smiths Fork near

Border, Wyoming

Weber River near Oakley

Green River

at Green River

Colorado River

 near Cisco

San Juan River

near Bluff

Beaver River

near Beaver

Streamflow-gaging station

Observation well

NEVADA

COLORADO

ARIZONA

UTAH

St George

Fremont River

Dirty Devil River

Escalante River

Sevier River

BeaverRiver

Muddy Creek

Virgin River

Price River

Green River

DuchesneRiver

Weber River

San Juan River

White

Virgin River near Virgin

Whiterocks River

near Whiterocks

Figure 1. Location map of selected

streamflow-gaging stations in Utah and

Wyoming.

Exposed river delta

Dirty Devil River

Colorado

River State Route 95 bridge

Lake Powell

Hite
inches on the Great Salt Lake Desert to about

60 inches in the highest mountains (Butler and

Marsell, 1972). Three types of moistureproducing weather systems generally account

for most precipitation in Utah: Pacific frontal

systems, dissipating tropical storms, and summer

thunderstorms with moisture originating from

the Gulf of Mexico.

Pacific frontal storms generally produce

winter mountain snowpack, and the subsequent

spring snowmelt increases river flows and

reservoir levels. During some winters, highpressure ridges can dominate over the Western

United States and push storm systems northward.

These persistent high-pressure ridges result in

decreased snowfall in Utah mountain ranges

(U.S. Geological Survey, 1991). Mountain

snowpacks have generally been below normal

statewide since the winter of 1998-99, and Utah

has experienced significant reductions in spring

runoff since 2000.

Many Federal and State government

agencies use the Palmer Drought Severity Index

(PDSI) to classify and assess long-term

meteorological droughts (Hayes, 2002). The

PDSI drought index responds to abnormally wet

or dry weather conditions and classifies the

conditions on a scale from -6 to 6. On this scale,

-4.0 or less signifies extreme drought conditions

and 4.0 or more signifies extremely wet

conditions. Summarized data from the Utah

State University Climate Center in Logan, Utah

(Donald Jensen, written commun., 2002),

illustrates the variable nature of precipitation in

Utah (fig. 3). On the basis of the PDSI

classification scale, the droughts of 1988-93 and

1999-2002 are severe to extreme, but conditions

are not as dry as those during 1896-1905 (fig.

3).

STREAMFLOW, IN THOUSANDS OF ACRE-FEET

Figure 3. Palmer Drought Severity Index for Utah, 1895-2002.

Figure 4. Relation of annual streamflow to average annual streamflow for the period of record.

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

1906-2002 average annual

streamflow 4,463,000 acre-feet

Green River near Green River, UT

0

25

50

75

100

125

150

175

200

1930-2002 average annual

streamflow 81,900 acre-feet

Whiterocks River near Whiterocks, UT

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

1914-2002 average annual

streamflow 5,297,000 acre-feet

Colorado River near Cisco, UT

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

0

25

50

75

100

1915-2002 average annual

streamflow 37,680 acre-feet

Beaver River near Beaver, UT

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1905-2002 average annual

streamflow 158,500 acre-feet

Weber River near Oakley, UT

0

50

100

150

200

250

1943-2002 average annual

streamflow 139,500 acre-feet

Smith's Fork near Border, WY

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

1910-2002 average annual

streamflow 144,000 acre-feet

Virgin River near Virgin, UT

No data

for this

period

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Average

annual

streamflow

Average

annual

streamflow

Average

annual

streamflow

Average

annual

streamflow

Average

annual

streamflow

Average

annual

streamflow

Average

annual

streamflow

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

1916,1928,1930-2002 average annual

streamflow 1,638,000 acre-feet

San Juan River near Bluff, UT

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Average

annual

streamflow

18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995

-6

-4

-2

0

2

4

6

2002

INDEX VALUE
Probably snowmelt combined with rainfall.

Regional.

Locally intense thunderstorms. Deaths, 7; damage,

$300,000.

Regional.

Melting of snowpack having maximum-of-record water

content for Apr. 1. Disaster declared. Deaths, 2; damage,

$8.4 million.

Regional.

Dam failure.

Three days of intense rainfall on thick snowpack above

altitude of 9,200 feet. Deaths, 7; damage, $814,000.

Four days of light to intense rainfall of as much as 12

inches. Damage, $1.4 million.

Locally intense thunderstorms following 11 days of rainfall.

Damage, $34,000.

Record-breaking rainfall. Deaths, 2; damage, $700,000.

Locally intense thunderstorms.

Regional.

Rapid melting of snowpack having maximum-of-record

water content for June 1. Result of large El Nin ̃o event.

Disaster declared by President. Damage, $621 million.

Runoff from greater-than-average snowpack for Apr. 1

and spring precipitation. Result of large El Nin ̃o event.

Runoff in Sevier River from Nov. 1982 through June 1984

exceeded upstream reservoir capacity; about 1.5 million

acre-feet of water conveyed to Sevier Lake. On May 22,

1984, lake reported to be as deep as 35 feet deep after

being dry or nearly dry since about 1880.

Runoff from greater-than-normal precipitation since Sept.

1982 increased lake level to 101-year record of 5.46 feet

above compromise level on June 15, 1984. Mainly a result

of large El Nin ̃o event of 1983-84. Damage, $5.9 million.

High runoff from greater-than-normal precipitation since

Sept., 1982 increased lake level to 140-year record altitude

of 4,211.85 feet on June 3, 1986. Partially a result of large

El Nin ̃o event of 1983-84. Damage, $268 million.

Trial Lake dam failure. Slope-area measurement.

Regional.

Quail Creek Reservoir dike failed on Jan. 1, 1989, releasing

about 25,000 acre-feet of water to the Virgin River near

Hurricane. Damage, $12 million.

Greater-than-normal snowpack in the Bear and Weber

River drainage basins caused minor flooding. Minor

damage occurred to cabins and campgrounds in the area.

Regional.

Colorado River

Statewide

Tributaries to Great Salt Lake between Ogden and Salt

Lake City

Statewide

Strawberry, upper Price, upper San Rafael, Ogden, Weber,

Provo, and Jordan Rivers; Blacksmith and Spanish Fork;

upper Muddy and Chalk Creeks

Statewide

Duchesne River

Ashley Creek and other streams between Manila and

Vernal, and west of Manila

Virgin and Santa Clara Rivers

Cottonwood Wash and other nearby tributaries to San

Juan River

San Juan River and tributaries from McElmo Creek to

Chinle Creek

Vernon Creek

Statewide

Lower Duchesne and Jordan Rivers and tributaries

(including Spanish Fork); upper Price, Bear, Sevier, and

San Pitch Rivers; Chalk, East Canyon, Trout, and George

Creeks; Great Salt Lake and tributaries between Ogden

and Salt Lake City

White, upper Price, and Fremont Rivers; lower Bear and

Sevier Rivers and tributaries; Beaver River; Red Butte

Creek; Spanish Fork; Jordan River

Sevier Lake

Utah Lake

Great Salt Lake

Provo River

Statewide

Quail Creek, lower Virgin River

Santa Clara River

South Fork Ogden River, Logan River, Blacksmith’s

Fork

Statewide

July 4, 1884

1896-1907

Aug. 13, 1923

1930-36

Apr. 28-June 11, 1952

1953-65

June 16, 1963

June 10-11, 1965

Dec. 6-7, 1966

Aug. 1-2, 1968

Sept. 5-7, 1970

Aug. 27, 1972

1974-78

Apr. 10-June 25, 1983

Apr. 17-June 20, 1984

May 22, 1984

June 15, 1984

June 3, 1986

June 7, 1986

1988-93

Jan. 1, 1989

Feb.-Mar. 1995

May 1997

1999-present

Flood

Drought

Flood

Drought

Flood

Drought

Flood

Flood

Flood

Flood

Flood

Flood

Drought

Flood

Flood

Flood

Flood

Flood

Flood

Drought

Flood

Flood

Flood

Drought

Flood or

drought Date Area affected Remarks

Table 1. Chronology of major and other memorable floods and droughts in Utah, 1884-2002
Streamflow

Data from eight long-term streamflowgaging stations maintained by the USGS Utah

District were used to assess historic and current

drought conditions. The stations (fig. 1) were

selected from a network of more than 150 stations

in Utah and are considered index sites because

they generally reflect streamflow conditions in

their local area. Major dams have regulated

flow on the Colorado, Green, and San Juan

Rivers upstream from the index sites since the

early 1960s. The Beaver, Virgin, and Weber

Rivers are lightly regulated by small headwater

reservoirs or power generating facilities. Smith’s

Fork and the Whiterocks River have small

diversions in upper watershed areas but are not

regulated upstream from the gages. Despite

these modifications to the drainages, these index

sites are considered to generally reflect

hydrologic conditions in their respective

watersheds, including snowpack and the amount

of water stored in reservoirs.

Historic Streamflow Data

A chronology of significant floods and

droughts in Utah from 1884 to 2002 and a

summary of their effects on infrastructure,

population, and the environment is presented in

table 1. Prior to current drought conditions,

Utah experienced drought on a regional scale

most recently in the late 1980s to early 1990s.

Other major droughts occurred during 1896-

1905, 1930-36, 1953-65, and 1974-78. The

average length of these droughts is about 5 years

and they recur about every 10 to 20 years.

A hydrologic drought is defined as “a period

of below average water content in streams,

reservoirs, ground-water aquifers, lakes and

soils” (Yevjevich and others, 1977). The relation

of annual streamflow to average annual

streamflow for the period of record for the eight

index sites (fig. 4) shows the cyclical nature of

wet and dry conditions in Utah.

Current Streamflow Data

The end-of-season snowpack, as measured

by the Natural Resources Conservation Service

SNOTEL system on April 1, 2002, was below

average statewide. The snowpack, and therefore

the relative amount of water available for runoff,

was about 78 percent of average in northern

Utah drainages and ranged from 24 percent to

54 percent of average in the southern part of the

State. In eastern and southeastern Utah, the endof-season snowpack was the lowest since 1977

and 1999 (Natural Resources Conservation

Service, 2002).

The percentage of average flow for the

eight index sites for 1999-2002 is shown in table

2. In 1999, streamflow was near or below average

for the Colorado River, Beaver River, and Virgin

River. These streamflow-gaging stations are all

located in southern Utah. By 2000, all of the

index sites indicated below-average flow. This

trend has continued through 2002 with the

exception of the Whiterocks River, which had

slightly higher-than-average flow in 2001. The

Whiterocks River flows down the southern slope

of the Uinta Mountains in northeastern Utah

(fig. 1). This area accumulated average

snowpack during the winter of 2001 (Natural

Resources Conservation Service, 2002);

however, on average, the larger Green River

basin accumulated a substantially lower-thanaverage snowpack for the same period as

Table 2. Annual streamflow data for eight long-term streamflow-gaging stations

[kac-ft, thousands of acre-feet]

Figure 5. Relation of daily mean streamflow for water years 1999-2002

to mean streamflow for period of record. STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

 Average daily mean streamflow

 Daily mean streamflow

10/1/1998 4/1/1999 10/1/1999 4/1/2000 10/1/2000 4/1/2001 10/1/2001 4/1/2002 10/1/2002

10/1/1998 4/1/1999 10/1/1999 4/1/2000 10/1/2000 4/1/2001 10/1/2001 4/1/2002 10/1/2002

EXPLANATION

1,000

10,000

100,000 Colorado River near Cisco, UT

1,000

10,000

100,000 Green River near Green River, UT

1,000

10,000

100,000 San Juan River near Bluff, UT

Colorado River near Cisco, UT

Whiterocks River near Whiterocks, UT

Green River near Green River, UT

San Juan River near Bluff, UT

Virgin River near Virgin, UT

Smiths Fork near Border, WY

Weber River near Oakley, UT

Beaver River near Beaver, UT

1914-2002

1930-2002

1906-2002

1916, 1928, 1930-2002

1910-2002

1943-2002

1905-2002

1915-2002

5,297

82

4,463

1,638

1,44

139

158

38

4,807

116

5,392

1,837

102

179

184

37

90

140

120

111

70

127

116

97

3,856

62

3,206

838

90

107

109

25

72

75

71

51

62

76

69

65

3,003

87

2,464

1161

100

72

100

29

56

106

55

70

69

51

63

77

1,856

33

1,591

538

61

74

93

16

35

40

36

33

43

53

59

41

1

2

2

1

1

4

8

3

Period of

record

Average

total

annual

flow for

period of

record

(kac-ft)

Total

annual

flow

(kac-ft)

Percent

of

average

Total

annual

flow

(kac-ft)

Percent

of

average

Total

annual

flow

(kac-ft)

Percent

of

average

Total

annual

flow

(kac-ft)

Percent

of

average

Rank of

lowest

total

annual

flow,

2002

Station Name

1999 2000 2001 2002
evidenced by the Green River near Green River,

UT, station (fig. 4 and table 2). Total annual

flow for water year 2002 is ranked in table 2.

The lowest total annual flow on record at the

Colorado River near Cisco, San Juan River near

Bluff, and Virgin River at Virgin stations

occurred during 2002, as did the second lowest

total annual flow on record at the Whiterocks

River and Green River stations. The 2002

drought was not as severe at the northern stations;

however, 2002 was still one of the 10 driest

years on record for Smiths Fork and the Weber

and Beaver Rivers.

Effects of the Drought

Effects on Selected Reservoirs and

Great Salt Lake

The compounded effects of 3 years of lessthan-normal precipitation include lowered water

levels of most major reservoirs in Utah. Releases

from dams on these reservoirs have been, and

most likely will continue to be, the minimum

releases required for downstream water users.

The level of Flaming Gorge Reservoir has

dropped by about 18 feet from its level during

years with average runoff. Recovery from this

deficit is expected to take about 2 years, assuming

that inflows return to normal by spring 2003

(Bureau of Reclamation, 2002).

According to the Bureau of Reclamation,

unregulated inflow to Lake Powell during water

year 2002 was only 3.06 million acre-feet, or

25 percent of the 30-year average, which is the

least amount of inflow to Lake Powell since the

completion of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963

(Bureau of Reclamation, 2002). Average

streamflow conditions during the past 4 years

in relation to historic maximum and minimum

flows at the Colorado River, Green River, and

San Juan River gaging stations are shown in

figure 5. These three rivers are the major inflows

to Lake Powell, and peak runoff typically occurs

during May and June from snowmelt in the

mountain headwaters. All three stations recorded

streamflow near the historic mean during water

year 1999 as compared to 2002, when streamflow

at all three stations was at or near the historic

minimum. Essentially no spring peak runoff for

the Colorado River or San Juan River occurred

during 2002. After the spring runoff, summer

base-flow conditions also declined steadily (fig.

5). Lake Powell was filled to about 58 percent

of capacity as of November 2002.

Because Great Salt Lake is a terminal lake

with no outlet to the sea, the water level fluctuates

continuously in response to climatic factors. As

surface-water inflows to the lake decreased

during 1999-2002, lake levels declined. The

water-surface altitude of Great Salt Lake during

November 2002 was about 4,197 feet, which is

slightly lower than the minimum altitude during

the 1974-78 and 1988-93 droughts. Since 1847

when record keeping began, the lake has been

lower than its current level only three times:

during approximately 1903-07, 1933-50, and

1956-72 (Herbert and others, 2001). The current

level is about 6 feet above the historic low of

4,191.35 feet recorded during the fall of 1963

and about 14 feet below the historic high of

4,211.6 feet recorded June 3, 1986. Recent

satellite imagery of Great Salt Lake shows the

2002 light-colored exposed shoreline in

comparison with an image obtained during 1988-

89 when the water level was 8 to 10 feet higher

(water-surface altitude of 4,205 to 4,207 feet,

fig. 6).

Effects on Ground Water

Prolonged droughts have a primary and

secondary effect on ground-water resources.

First, decreased precipitation leads to decreased

recharge to aquifers. Second, decreased surfacewater resources generally lead to increased

ground-water withdrawals, as well as to increased

requests for water-well construction permits

(Gates and Allen, 1996).

Aquifers in arid to semiarid regions are

typically recharged from higher-altitude areas

that receive more precipitation. Decreased

precipitation and snowpack runoff in these areas

leads to a decrease in aquifer recharge. In

addition, dry conditions deplete soil moisture.

This moisture needs to be replaced before

recharge conditions can return to normal.

Aquifers also can be recharged by seepage from

lakes and streams. As these surface-water

sources of recharge dry up during a drought,

recharge to aquifers is again decreased.

As surface-water sources diminish during

a drought, irrigators and public-supply systems

withdraw more ground water. During the

droughts of 1974-77 and 1988-93, the number

of well permits granted rose sharply (Gates and

Allen, 1996). This increased demand for ground

water increased the stress on an already depleted

aquifer. In general, ground-water levels in Utah

have declined during the current drought years

(Burden and others, 2002). The correlation

between droughts and low water levels is shown

in a well in Cedar Valley, near Cedar City, Utah

(fig. 7). Lower ground-water levels are the

result of both decreased recharge and increased

withdrawals; however, it is difficult to determine

which causes the greater effect.

Figure 6. Comparison of satellite images of Great Salt Lake, 1988-89 and 2002.

1988-89 2002

Newfoundland

Evaporation Basin

(constructed)

113° 112°

41°

41°30'

113° 112°

41°

41°30'

Newfoundland

Evaporation Basin

(constructed)
Summary and Conclusions

Utah has experienced drought conditions

statewide for the past 3 water years, and in the

southern part of the state for the past 4 water

years. In general, the drought has been more

severe in the southern parts of the state. Total

annual flow during water year 2002 at the

Colorado River near Cisco, Green River near

Green River, Virgin River near Virgin, and the

San Juan River near Bluff, was the lowest

recorded during approximately the past 100

years of record. During water year 2002,

streamflow conditions at streamflow-gaging

stations in southern Utah showed little to no

effect from spring runoff and approached or

exceeded the historic minimum flows.

Decreased flow from major rivers in Utah has

led to a decline in most reservoir levels and in

Great Salt Lake. Drought conditions in Utah are

common and normally last an average of about

4 years. The current drought is not unusual for

its length but rather for its severity, as water

year 2002 will be recorded as one of the driest

years on record for many parts of Utah.

U.S. Geological Survey StreamflowMonitoring Program

For more than 100 years, the USGS has

been collecting water data in Utah with support

from Federal, State, and local cooperators. The

USGS investigates the occurrence, quantity,

quality, and movement of surface and ground

water and disseminates the data to the public

and to Federal, State, and local agencies and

governments involved with managing the water

resources of Utah. In cooperation with the State

of Utah, the USGS measures water levels on a

yearly basis in more than 1,000 water wells

throughout Utah. The USGS also operates more

than 150 streamflow-gaging stations in Utah.

Real-time data from most of these stations are

available on the Utah District website at

http://ut.water.usgs.gov or from the National

USGS website at

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis.

For more information contact:

U.S. Geological Survey

2329 West Orton Circle

Salt Lake City, UT 84119

801.908.5000

http://ut.water.usgs.gov

By Chris D. Wilkowske, David V. Allen,

 and Jeff V. Phillips

 References

Burden, C.B., and others, 2002, Groundwater conditions in Utah, Spring of 2002: Utah

Division of Water Resources Cooperative

Investigations Report No. 43, 120 p.

Bureau of Reclamation, 2002, Upper

Colorado Region Water Resources Information

Center, accessed November 27, 2002, at

http://www.uc.usbr.gov/wrg/index.html

Butler, E., and Marsell, R.E., 1972,

Cloudburst floods in Utah, 1939-69: Utah

Division of Water Resources Cooperative

Investigations Report 11, 103 p.

Gates, J.S., and Allen, D.V., 1996, Groundwater development in Utah and effects on

ground-water levels and chemical quality, Utah

Department of Natural Resources Cooperative

Investigations Report 37, 19 p.

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Figure 7. Water levels in a well near Cedar City, Utah.

100

90

80

70

60

50

1930193519401945195019551960196519701975198019851990199520002005

WATER LEVEL,

IN FEET BELOWLAND SURFACE

Widespread drought

Widespread flood